Owners have filed 16 complaints
about the 1995 Dodge VAN with NHTSA between 1995 and 2003.
The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain.
Across this model's run it ranks 7 of 8 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 30
Against the median year of the Dodge VAN. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 32
6.3% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1995 Dodge VAN
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Transmission & Drivetrain
425.0%
Doors, Latches & Locks
212.5%
Tires
212.5%
Suspension
212.5%
Seat Belts
16.3%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
16.3%
Body & Structure
16.3%
Brakes
16.3%
Steering
16.3%
Airbags
16.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Apr 1995peak 7Apr 2003
NHTSA investigations into the 1995 Dodge VAN
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
DP03002Opened 7 May 2003Closed 22 Jul 2003STEERING:COLUMN
STEERING COLUMN SEPARATION
MR. LARRY A. SACKEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2003, REQUESTING THAT NHTSAFURTHER INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STEERING SHAFT SYSTEM ON 1987-1995 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION.IN PART BECAUSE OF 49 CFR ? 30120(G), NHTSA HAS DECIDED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PETITION VEHICLES TO 1993-1995 MODELS, EXCLUDING THE 1993 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AND 1994-1995 DODGE RAM SERIES TRUCKS THAT WERE RECALLED (93V210 & 96V230) FOR STEERING COLUMN FAILURE.IF THE ANALYSIS OF THESE VEHICLES HAD IDENT...
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Tiffin, IACrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE TRAVELING WITH HUSBAND DRIVING, CAME OVER A HILL, NOTICED A DEER, HIT BRAKES, DEER RAN TOWARDS VEHICLE, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY; VEHICLE CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP AFTER HITTING DEER.
NHTSA complaint #804913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Northfield, MN
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DISCONNECTED.
NHTSA complaint #10017211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vincennes, IN
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
OVER 3 DAY PERIOD OF TIME REVERSE GEAR COMPLETELY FAILED. FEW DAYS LATER, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO THE HIGHEST GEAR. PAN REMOVED. NO SLUDGE/SHAVINGS IN IT. NEW FLUID AND FILTER PLACED IN IT. NO HELP. HAVE FRIEND WITH SAME VEHICLE WITH BAD TRANSMISSION
NHTSA complaint #766130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Laplace, LA
TIRES
TIRE DELAMINATED WHILE TRAVELING WITH FAMILY ON I-10, 20 MINUTES FROM HOME. I FILED A INCIDENT REPORT WITH FIRESTONE AND SENT THEM THE TIRE AS THEY REQUESTED. WHEN TIRE DELAMINATED, IT DAMAGED THE REAR QUARTER PANEL OF MY VAN ALONG WITH DAMAGING EXHAUST AND FUEL FILLER TUBE. FIRESTONE RESPONDED TO MY INCIDENT REPORT CLAIMING NO FAULT AND THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN UNDERINFLATED TIRE. I HAVE EVIDENCE AND CAN PROVE UNDER OATH THAT THIS TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN UNDERINFLATED, SINCE I CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE OF ALL THE VEHICLES TIRES AT MINIMUM EVERY 60 DAYS. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE TIRE AFTER IT FAILED ALONG WITH PIECES OF ITS TREAD. THE TIRE HAD ONLY 36,220 MILES ON IT AND WAS VISUALLY INSPECTED JUST A FEW WEEKS PRIOR TO IT'S FAILURE. THE TIRE HAD NO VISUAL SIGNS OF ADVERSE TREADWEAR; REGULAR ALIGNMENTS AND WHEEL BALANCING WERE PART OF MY PREVENTATIVE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VD1L1XD308 TIRESIZE: 225/75/R16)
NHTSA complaint #751718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wauwatosa, WI
TIRES
CONSUMER PURCHASED 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES IN JULY OF 1999, ONE OF THE TIRES WENT FLAT AND WAS REPLACED, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING 5 NEW REPLACEMENT TIRES OTHER THAN THE FIRESTONE BRAND. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #557848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Syracuse, NY
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
SECOND AND THIRD ROW OF SEATS IN THIS VEHICLE HAVE NO SEAT BELTS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #866372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Linthicum Heights, MD
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS AND DISC BRAKES WERE RUSTED, CAUSING POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. WHILE APPLYING BRAKES THERE WAS VIBRATION IN FRONT END. ALSO, BRAKES WERE ONLY ABSORBING PRESSURE ON ONE SIDE. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD MULITPLE BRAKE PROBLEMS, INCLUDING FRONT WHEEL ROTORS, BRAKE PADS, WHEEL BEARINGS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN REPAIRED/REPLACED AT LEAST ONCE. *AK
NHTSA complaint #857577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EL Monte, CA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
INTERMITTENT HIGH IDLE.
NHTSA complaint #520321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EL Monte, CA
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
LEFT SIDE DOOR OPENED WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING DUE TO A BROKEN LOCK.
NHTSA complaint #520321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EL Monte, CA
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
REAR AXLE FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL.
NHTSA complaint #520321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EL Monte, CA
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
DRIVE SHAFT FELL OUT OF VEHICLE, CAUSING VEHICLE STALL.
NHTSA complaint #520321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EL Monte, CA
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER
FRONT SHOCKS FAILED, CAUSING NOISE WHEN DRIVER OVER ROUGHT ROADS.
NHTSA complaint #520321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EL Monte, CA
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
REAR END DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL.
NHTSA complaint #520321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EL Monte, CA
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
SWAY BAR BUSHING FAILED CAUSING NOISE OVER ROUGH ROADS.
NHTSA complaint #520321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sterling Heights, MI
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED AND LOCKED OWNER IN VEHICLE.OWNER NOTES THAT WHEN VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF DOOR LOCK STILL HAD MALFUNCTIONED. OWNER HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #815317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tiffin, IACrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE TRAVELING WITH HUSBAND DRIVING, CAME OVER A HILL, NOTICED A DEER, HIT BRAKES, DEER RAN TOWARDS VEHICLE, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY; VEHICLE CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP AFTER HITTING DEER.
NHTSA complaint #804913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mission Viej, CA
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR SHUTS PARTIALLY, NOW DOOR WILL NOT SHUT AT ALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA complaint #963823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.